Gummy Smile Correction
Gummy Smile Correction
A ‘gummy smile’ is when your gums appear too prominent in proportion to the length of your teeth. People with gummy smiles often feel embarrassed and self-conscious and try to hide their smile. Twice as many women as men suffer from a gummy smile.
An attractive ‘ideal’ smile is more about how the smile is in harmony with the entire face. The upper lip will sit above the top of the teeth, with symmetry right to left.
TWO MOST COMMON CAUSES OF A GUMMY SMILE
1. Gums that are out of proportion to your teeth and gums that fail to fully shrink back, leaving the teeth partially covered by gums rather than being fully exposed and visible.
2. A hyperactive upper lip where your upper lip appears normal while resting but lifts excessively when smiling exposing too much gum.
Treatments for a Gummy Smile
Gingival Recontouring or gingival sculpting removes the excess gum tissue, allowing more of your natural tooth surface to appear.
Crown Lengthening reshapes the excess gum and bone tissue to expose more of the tooth. This can be done to one tooth or multiple teeth, to even-up your gum line to expose a natural smile.
Botox Treatment can be used to treat a hyperactive upper lip. Botox weakens the hyperactive muscles so the lip doesn’t lift up and expose nearly as much of your gums.
The cause of a gummy smile can be rather involved and it’s important to see a dentist who understands each of the different causes and the best treatment for your situation.
Dr. Erica Elannan approaches each patient with a unique perspective, which ensures that all patients receive the personalized treatment they deserve. Contact our office today for an appointment.
Surgical osseous Gum Repositioning
SURGICAL OSSEOUS GUM REPOSITIONING
Gum surgery, sometimes referred to as ‘pocket reduction’ or ‘osseous’ surgery, refers to several different surgeries aimed at gaining access to the tooth roots to remove tartar and disease-causing bacteria and stop bone loss. Osseous surgery is used to reshape deformities and remove
pockets in the alveolar bone surrounding the teeth. It is a common and effective treatment of more advanced periodontal diseases.
SURGICAL OSSEOUS GUM REPOSITIONING
The ultimate goal of osseous surgery is to reduce or eliminate the periodontal pockets that cause periodontal disease. Despite the word ‘surgery’ the procedure is reported to feel more like a thorough cleaning.
THE SPECIFIC GOALS OF SURGERY INCLUDE:
REDUCING BACTERIAL SPREAD:
Bacteria from the mouth can spread throughout the body and cause other life-threatening conditions such as heart disease and respiratory disease. Removing deep tartar and ultimately underlying bacteria can help reduce the risk of bacteria spread.
PREVENTING BONE LOSS:
The immune system’s inflammatory response prompted by periodontal bacteria can lead to bone loss in the jaw region and can cause teeth to fall out. Osseous surgery seeks to stop periodontal disease before it progresses to this level.
ELIMINATING BLEEDING GUMS:
Mouths plagued with periodontal disease often have bleeding gums, a sign of infection and inflammation. Fortunately, osseous surgery can help reduce bacterial load and remove tartar sticking to root surfaces providing a healthy attachment of gums to teeth, thereby eliminating bleeding gums.
FACILITATING HOME CARE:
As the gum pocket deepens, it can become nearly impossible to brush and floss adequately. Osseous surgery reduces pocket size, making it easier to brush and floss and thereby prevent further periodontal disease.
WHAT DOES THE PROCEDURE ENTAIL
A local anesthetic is used to numb the area prior to surgery. First, Dr Elannan makes an incision around each tooth of the affected area to release the gum tissue from the bone. This allows access to the bone and roots of the teeth. After the roots have been thoroughly cleaned through scaling, a drill and hand tools are used to reshape the bone around the teeth.
Bone is removed in some areas to restore the normal rise and fall of the bone, but at a lower level. Bone grafting may also be necessary to Nill in large defects. If bone grafting is the preferred procedure, a barrier membrane is used to protect the bone grafts healing alongside your jawbone. Next, the gums will be placed back as before and sutured in place. Pain medication and mouth rinses containing chlorhexidine are generally prescribed following the surgery.
Lip Repositioning
LIP REPOSITIONING
Many people are troubled by having a gummy smile. When excessive gum tissue displays between the edge of the lower lip and the bottom of the teeth, the gum tissue can detract from the natural beauty of the teeth and smile. Removing gum tissue with laser therapy can only correct so much of this defect. Surgery to reset the upper jaw can address this issue, but is usually the least desirable treatment option for the patient.
LIP REPOSITIONING
Another new exciting treatment exists that is minimally invasive and has a high success rate. The procedure was first brought to public prominence by the ABC show ‘Extreme Makeover’. The procedure is known as LIP REPOSITIONING and was used for denture patients to help adapt to bone loss and develop a better fitting denture. However, in the age of cosmetic dentistry, this procedure has been modiNied to address the problem of excessively gummy smiles.
The procedure involves removing a small window of tissue inside and under the upper lip. The removal of tissue disallows the upper lip to rise excessively and instead have a patient’s smile rest at the most ideal point of the juncture of the upper teeth and upper gum line.
This procedure is typically performed by an oral surgeon. If you are a candidate for this procedure, we would be happy to give you a referral. This procedure is usually best accompanied by laser therapy of the gums and veneers and the doctors at Studio B Smiles work closely with the oral surgeon to ensure you’re getting the smile of your dreams!
Laser Gum Recontouring
LASER GUM RECONTOURING
Laser gum recontouring is an amazing treatment that can improve the look of a patient’s smile in just minutes. Smile Nuvo offers laser gum reshaping to help patients’ teeth look more symmetrical, full and beautiful. Because we use laser dental technology, treatments are performed quickly and painlessly.
LASER GUM RECONTOURING
To correct a gummy smile, Dr. Elannan uses a laser that reshapes the position and structural composition of the gum tissue by literally vaporizing the unwanted gum tissue. The procedure is very simple and requires very little anesthetic and patients can return to their daily activities immediately along with a full recovery in just a few days. The soft tissue laser can also be used to help treat periodontal disease or other poor oral health conditions by removing tissue that traps bacteria around the teeth. Additionally, many oral lesions or ulcers can be treated with the laser to eliminate pain and speed recovery. We can make changes to your smile that you may never have thought possible!
If you would like more information about Laser Gum Recontouring or would like to schedule an appointment to see if you are a candidate for Laser Gum Recontouring, please contact our office at 602-834-8834.
